Matthew 21:9-11 And the crowds that went before Him and that followed Him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Today is Palm Sunday, a week before Easter and represents Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem as the Messiah. On the first Palm Sunday, the crowds honoured Jesus, shouting ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
What a moment this was for the disciples and those who gathered that day, believing Jesus was the promised Messiah who would save them! However, not all was as it seemed for those present that day.
Israel was under Roman rule at the time, and the crowds present and chanting that day believed Jesus had come to rescue them politically and free them nationally from foreign rule. Their expectation was different from what Jesus was actually there to do.
Jesus had come to free them, yes, but He had a much bigger mission than simply freeing the nation from Roman rule and restoring political power to Israel. His triumphant entry literally signified His coming and mission to save men and women of all ages from their sins!
Soon, a week later, after an unjust trial, Jesus would be cruelly beaten, mocked, whipped, spat on, a crown of thorns pushed into his head, pinned to a wooden cross, flung upright into the air, with criminals on either side of Him, and all of this in full view of a spectating crowd shouting insults.
He would do this, not as a guilty man for any crime or sin, but as a perfect, completely innocent, sinless man who would offer Himself a sacrifice: for the sins of mankind to be placed on Him, for the wrath of God to be poured out on Him, and for His innocent blood to be shed, taking our punishment.
But the crowd in Matthew 21 did not see any of this coming. They expected immediate freedom from Roman rule when what Jesus was actually bringing was eternal freedom and forgiveness from sin for all who would come to Him.
God will often work in ways much bigger and better than we think or can even imagine. Do not be discouraged if something doesn’t or hasn’t worked out how you prayed, planned, and thought it would. God has heard you, your praise, your cry, and your heart’s desire, and He is working in ways we can’t even think or imagine.
Be encouraged this Palm Sunday. Jesus will always show up when we call Him, but maybe not always in the way we expect. One thing is certain, though: You can trust He is doing even more, better, and bigger than you can imagine.
Ephesians 3:20-21 says, Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus, we worship and adore You; we shout praise, glory, and honour to You this day. We thank You for having a bigger picture in mind on the first Palm Sunday than the crowd imagined, a picture and plan that involved saving mankind from our sin. Thank You that You showed up on earth, on Palm Sunday, at the cross, and You show up every time Your Name is called on in truth. You are so good! Thank You, Saviour. Amen.